The Myth that Obama Democrats are Extremists

Obama Democrats have been remarkably fair-minded and pragmatic.

I think Obama and Congressional Democrats have made every effort to appease Republicans - e.g. The Health Care Reform: 1. there's no public option despite the fact that a majority of Americans favor it, 2. the Health Care Bill is actually considered a step back according to many pro-Choice advocates, and 3. The Bill hurts several Labor Unions by taxing "cadillac" Health Plans. If anything Obama Democrats have abandoned the Left in order to try to curry favor with the Right. They've been acting very pragmatically, though, compromising on ideological purity in order to at least get a few beneficial reforms through.

(For the far lefts view on the Health Care reform look here: http://www.socialistalternative.org/news/article10.php?id=1341. They don't like it, because it's too moderate.)

However, Congressional Republicans are playing to the base and have effectively excluded themselves from the governance of the country by refusing to include themselves in reform discussion.

Look at what happened to Bob Bennet: http://www.sltrib.com/news/ci_14870122

The Healthy Americans Act which he sponsored during the Bush years is so is incredibly similar to the Health Care Reform it's crazy! But when Obama Democrats propose the plan in a slightly different form he starts acting like the whole idea is pure lunacy - why?!!! It's so frustrating to see him have to abandon what he truly believes to satisfy the ideology of the Right Wing. He's also an expert in Health Policy and could have been helpful in the drafting process, but instead he decided he could score more points with the "Kill the Bill" crowd.

There is no pragmatism to what the Right is doing. The Republican stalling strategy is to sabotage the nations success to make Democrats look bad. It's nearsighted, hostile and despicable.

Democrats are at least trying to fix past policy errors and help the nation progress. Democrats are ignoring the extremists on their side while Republicans are touting the line for Right Wingers - e.g. Palin, Teaparties, Glen Beck, etc.